Man pleads not guilty to drug, obstruction charges

January 30, 2009

A man accused of supplying an Elburn teen with heroin and then dumping his body in a Chicago alley after he died following an apparent overdose pleaded not guilty today during a contentious arraignment before a Kane County judge.

Nathan L. Green, of Maple Park, has been charged with unlawful delivery of a controlled substance and obstruction of justice in the December 2007 death of Michael York, 17.

It took two separate court appearances Friday to arraign Green, who argued with Judge Robert Spence before the judge finally ordered Green back to a detention area after he would not stop interrupting.

Green, 22, began protesting when the judge tried to inform him that his prior criminal record could result in an extended sentence should he be found guilty of the drug charge. Green argued that his record did not include enough serious convictions to merit the longer sentence.

"He continued to want to talk to the judge when he needed to be listening," Assistant Kane County State's Atty. Kelly Orland said.

After ordering Green removed and having him wait about 90 minutes, the judge brought him back into the courtroom.

"OK, let's try this again," Spence told Green. On the second attempt, Green was formally arraigned and pleaded not guilty. Green, who remains in the Kane County jail in lieu of $100,000 bail, was also appointed a public defender.

Green is one of three people arrested in January in connection with York's death.

Authorities say Green, Jordan Billek of Maple Park and Lindsey Parker of St. Charles used heroin with York at Parker's parents' home on Dec. 15, 2007. York showed signs of an apparent overdose that night and was discovered dead in a guest bedroom the following morning. Green and Billek then drove his body to Chicago and dumped it in an alley, authorities said.

The Cook County medical examiner's office performed an autopsy but was unable to determine a cause of death.